I'm so sorry for your loss. I went through this exact situation when my husband passed away last year. From my experience applying at my local SSA office, it took about 8 weeks from application to seeing the increased payment in my account. The waiting was definitely stressful, especially with ongoing expenses, but I did receive full back pay to the date of entitlement once it finally processed. One thing that helped me was calling SSA about 4 weeks after applying just to verify they had all my documents and to get a status update. Since you're already receiving benefits on your own record, the transition should be smoother than starting from scratch. Your Medicare should continue without interruption since you're not stopping benefits, just getting an increase. I'd recommend checking your mySocialSecurity account online regularly for any updates on your case status. The system is frustratingly slow, but hang in there - you will eventually get everything you're entitled to, including the retroactive payments. Take care of yourself during this difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I just went through this process myself about 4 months ago when my husband passed away. It took approximately 6 weeks from when I submitted my application at the local SSA office to receiving my first increased payment. What really helped me during the wait was understanding that since you're already receiving benefits on your own record, SSA will process this as a "survivor top-up" rather than switching you to an entirely new benefit. This means your existing $2,150 payment should continue uninterrupted while they calculate the additional amount to bring you up to your husband's benefit level. I'd recommend calling SSA around the 3-4 week mark just to confirm they have all your documentation. Also, definitely keep monitoring your online SSA account for status updates. The good news is that once it processes, you'll receive back pay for the entire waiting period, so you won't lose any money you're entitled to. The Medicare aspect should be seamless since you're already enrolled and this isn't technically a new benefit enrollment. I know the waiting is incredibly stressful when you're dealing with grief and ongoing expenses, but the system does eventually come through. Hang in there!

Ugh, all these rules make my head hurt!! I'm 63 and just trying to figure out if I should keep working or not. Why does social security have to be so COMPLICATED?? Every time I think I understand something, there's another rule or exception!

I went through this exact situation two years ago when I hit my FRA in August. The confusion is totally understandable because SSA's website doesn't explain it clearly! You're absolutely right - you CAN earn the full higher limit ($59,520 projected for 2025) during January through June 2025, and it doesn't need to be spread out evenly. I actually earned most of mine in the first quarter doing consulting work. Just make sure you're tracking GROSS earnings, not net pay, and remember it's based on when you performed the work, not when you got paid. The freedom after hitting FRA is amazing - no more spreadsheets tracking every dollar earned!

Just want to add something that might help with your decision - you can actually withdraw your Social Security application within 12 months if you change your mind! If you file in January 2025 and then realize the earnings test is making it not worthwhile, you can withdraw your application (as long as it's within 12 months) and repay any benefits you received. Then you could reapply later when it makes more sense. This gives you a bit of a safety net to try it out and see how the numbers actually work in practice. Of course, you'd need to be able to repay any benefits received if you go this route, but it's good to know the option exists! Also, make sure to keep detailed records of all your earnings throughout 2025 - pay stubs, bonus documentation, etc. This will help if there are any discrepancies when SSA does their annual reconciliation.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet that might be relevant for your situation - if you're still working and receiving benefits, make sure you understand how this affects your future benefit calculations too. SSA uses your highest 35 years of earnings to calculate benefits, so if your current $63k salary is higher than some of your earlier working years, continuing to work could actually increase your future benefit amount even beyond the FRA recalculation that Diego mentioned. Also, since you're born in 1959, your FRA is 66 years and 10 months (July 2026), so you'd only be subject to the earnings test for about 18 months if you file in January 2025. Given that the benefits aren't permanently lost and you get credit back at FRA, plus the potential for increasing your benefit calculation through continued high earnings, it might actually make more sense to file than I initially thought when I just looked at that reduced monthly payment of ~$357. The withdrawal option Millie mentioned is definitely a good safety net too. You could essentially test-drive the system for a year and see how it works out in practice!

I still think the whole system is INSANE!!! Why make us wait until 66 and 8 months? Why not just 66 or 67? And the earnings limit is PUNISHING people who work. If I didn't need the money I wouldn't still be working at 66!!! Anyone else feel like the system is designed to confuse us????

The FRA calculation can definitely be confusing! Just to reinforce what others have said - you'll reach FRA in January 2025, not December 2024. SSA uses a specific rule where you "attain" an age on the first day of the month after you actually reach that age milestone. Here's what to expect for your timeline: - 2024: You'll be subject to the earnings limit all year, but it's the higher limit for the year you reach FRA (around $59,520 for 2024) - January 2025: FRA month - no earnings limit from this point forward - February 2025: You'll receive your first full Social Security payment regardless of earnings - Spring 2025: SSA should automatically recalculate your benefit to give you credit for all those months of withheld benefits over the years Keep checking your mySocialSecurity account to make sure your earnings are being recorded correctly. That ARF adjustment could be a nice bump in your monthly payment after all those years of dealing with the earnings test!

To find out what your late husband's full benefit would be, you'll need to speak with an SSA representative. This information isn't readily available on your my Social Security account. When you call, ask specifically for what his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) was - that's the term for his full benefit amount. Then compare that to your own benefit to see which will be higher at your FRA.

I'm in a similar situation and have been researching this extensively. One thing I learned that might help you is that you can actually do a "restricted application" strategy in some cases. Since you're currently receiving both SSDI and survivor benefits, when you reach FRA you'll want to calculate which option gives you the most money overall. Sometimes it makes sense to take your full survivor benefit now and delay your own retirement benefit until age 70 to get delayed retirement credits (8% per year), but this depends on your specific numbers. Also, make sure to get everything in writing when you speak with SSA - I've heard too many stories of people getting different answers from different representatives. Document the date, time, and name of whoever you speak with.